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Match Report | Manchester City decimates RB Leipzig en route to the quarterfinals of the Champions League

A record-breaking night from five goal hero Erling Haaland highlighted the 7-0 thrashing of Marco Rose’s Die Roten Bullen at the Etihad

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Erling Haaland’s brilliant night leading the line for Manchester City was just what the doctor ordered for Pep Guardiola and company as the Premier League champions ruthlessly dispatched Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig by a monumental 7-0 scoreline at the Etihad to reach the quarterfinals of the competition.

On an evening when Marco Rose’s men were confident after their 1-1 draw in the first leg in Saxony, the onus was always going to be on City to set the record straight in front of home support if the club was to continue its hopeful march to an appearance in the final, and the club certainly delivered the type of performance commensurate with just what might finally be viewed as possible.

City finally cashed in on their early dominance in the 22nd minute through Erling Haaland via his effort from the penalty spot after German international Benjamin Henrichs was judged to have committed a handball in the box after challenging Rúben Dias in the air off a set piece.

The Premier League champions then quickly doubled their advantage just one minute later, once again through Haaland, who headed home from 12 yards out after Kevin De Bruyne’s effort crashed off Janis Blaswich’s bar to leave the goal gaping for the Norwegian. With that goal, Haaland became the fastest player in Champions League history to reach 30 goals (needing just 25 matches to achieve that mark) while also becoming the youngest to hit that same goal tally.

The rout continued in the second minute of stoppage time, with Dias once again the target of a Jack Grealish corner, which this time found the Portuguese international center-back whose headed effort crashed off the near post and danced on the goalline before Amadou Haidara’s clearance deflected off Haaland and into the back of the net.

City was coasting in stunning fashion and looked like a side that was finally ready to push on the continent while comfortably dispatching one of the Bundesliga’s headline outfits.

Haaland popped up for his fourth goal on the night two minutes later to compound an away day of pure misery for Marco Rose’s RBL outfit, with the Norwegian’s original headed effort after being found at the back post by Bernardo Silva was turned away by Blaswich only for the rebound to find its way back to the goalscoring sensation.

And it was Haaland once again just moments later to pop up for his fifth on the night, breaking Tommy Johnson’s near-100-year record of 38 goals in a single season in all competitions with his 39th of the 2022-23 campaign, going a long way to dispel any notion that City is worse for ware with him in their ranks.

Proceedings at the Etihad settled down into a slow rhythm with the result guaranteed, but City had one final sucker punch left in them in the final minute of stoppage time through Kevin De Bruyne’s bending effort from 20-yards-out after Riyad Mahrez did well down the right channel to create space before finding the Belgian on top of the box with room to shoot.

It was a clinical performance from City and a ruthless exhibition of goalscoring efficiency from the Premier League side who otherwise embarrassed a highly credible manager and a side that is regularly billed as a potential candidate for Bundesliga honors. What matters now is how City intends to use this result both at home and abroad, and whether or not it will amount to trophies come may or feelings of a missed opportunity.

Manchester City Player Ratings

  • GK: Ederson – 6.5
  • RB: John Stones – 7
  • CB: Manuel Akanji – 7
  • CB: Rúben Dias – 7.5
  • LB: Nathan Aké – 7.5
  • DM: Rodri – 7
  • CM: Kevin De Bruyne – 9
  • CM: Ilkay Gündogan – 8
  • RW: Bernardo Silva – 7.5
  • LW: Jack Grealish – 8
  • CF: Erling Haaland – 10
  • Sub: Phil Foden – 7
  • Sub: Riyad Mahrez – 7
  • Sub: Julián Álvarez – 6.5
  • Sub: Sergio Gómez – 6.5
  • Sub: Kalvin Phillips – 6

RB Leipzig Player Ratings

  • GK: Janis Blaswich – 6
  • RB: Benjamin Henrichs – 4
  • CB: Willi Orban – 5
  • CB: Joško Gvardiol – 5.5
  • LB: David Raum – 6
  • DM: Kevin Kampl – 5.5
  • CM: Konrad Laimer – 6
  • CM: Amadou Haidara – 6.5
  • RAM: Dominik Szoboszlai – 6
  • LAM: Emil Forsberg – 5
  • CF: Timo Werner – 5.5
  • Sub: André Silva – 6
  • Sub: Mohamed Simakan – 6
  • Sub: Yussuf Poulsen – 6
  • Sub: Dani Olmo – 6
  • Sub: Lukas Klostermann – 6

Key Performers

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Andrew Thompson

US-based Football writer. German football guru with a wealth of experience in youth development and analysis. Data aficionado. Happily championing the notion that Americans have a knowledgeable voice in the beautiful game.

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